AS Dr Fenton Ferguson seeks re-election for what he says will be his final term as Member of Parliament (MP) for the St Thomas Eastern constituency, his family remains his tower of strength.

Dr Ferguson told the Jamaica Observer that apart from God, his family has been the wind beneath his wings and greatest support during the election period where funding is concerned.

“My partner Blossom has been a tower of strength in support. She looks out for the details and she advises me on matters. She has been very strong in backing me, and in politics when you don’t have a good partner it could impact what you do and how your relationship survives. You have to be out there.

“Weekends are the best times for politics, weekends are also the best time for family. So in many respects, political leaders will have issues if there is no real understanding to what is the demands that comes from your constituency – what it does in relation to your partner time or your family time. Thank God that is not my issue. I have full support, full backing and I think that is where, over the years, my strength lies,” Dr Ferguson said.

He added: “I have some sisters. Dr Millicent Comrie – tower of strength – one of the top 10 OBGYN [obstetrician- gynaecologist] from the Caribbean and among the top 100 OBGYN in New York. She is supported by her husband Frederick Comrie. She has been pivotal in my success. Then there are my other sisters Herma Perkins from Maxfield Bakery and Pauline Fearon from Everybody’s Favourite and Whitfield Bakery in Clarendon. Also my son in New York, Dr Lincoln Ferguson. They have all been my rock and day-to-day strength.”

In addition to family support, most of Dr Ferguson’s political career has been funded by friends and business relationships.

“My family is my greatest support – financially and otherwise. The bulk of my funding comes from family. There are a few contractors who have supported me. Then we’ve always had a strong Friends of Eastern St Thomas and that has been towering. What is unusual in this election is that a kind of Obama-type thing has emerged with St Thomas residents overseas and a number of them have made small contributions to Friends of Eastern St Thomas and I want to just to thank persons like Doreen Lindsay who has been very active.

“Then I have my long-standing friends – members of the medical profession, members of the accounting profession who have made contributions, too, through Friends of Eastern St Thomas. So we have been able to manage. What I get most out of St Thomas is a good group of party workers, as miserable as they are, when elections are called, they are transformed to supporting the People’s National Party and supporting me as a candidate as their contribution cannot be overlooked,” he said.

Dr Ferguson, however, maintained that throughout his 27 years in representational politics he has remained uncompromised and has a clear conscience.

“I have not taken a contribution or donation that will tell me that MP you have to do this or your have to do that. While I know that I will do things for anybody as long as it is just, as long as it is right, and therefore with a contribution or without a contribution I will do the same thing. I stay away from certain kinds of support. I help individuals because they are a good person, a just person, a principled person or good company that would want to see a good St Thomas and good governance of Jamaica.”